IOWA CITY, Ia. — Through two weeks of the Iowa football season, the list of complaints would seem to be pretty short.

A couple missed opportunities? Sure.

A few too many injuries? Of course.

An iffy punt-return game? Yes.

But the big-picture stuff is all humming: The quarterback, the running game, the line play on both sides of the ball and, yes, the kicking game. The 19th-ranked Hawkeyes were great in all those areas in Saturday's 30-0 thumping of Rutgers before a crowd of 61,808 at Kinnick Stadium

Surely, the head coach would find some things he doesn't like. So I asked him.

Members of the Iowa Hawkeyes offense celebrate after freshman receiver Tyrone Tracy (No. 3) pulled down a touchdown reception in the second quarter against Rutgers on Saturday, Sept. 7, 2019 at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City. Bryon Houlgrave, The Register

Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz does an interview before a NCAA Big Ten Conference football game against Rutgers, Saturday, Sept. 7, 2019, at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa. Joseph Cress/Iowa City Press-Citizen

Iowa quarterback Nate Stanley (4) walks out to the field with teammates before a NCAA Big Ten Conference football game against Rutgers, Saturday, Sept. 7, 2019, at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa. Joseph Cress/Iowa City Press-Citizen

Iowa Hawkeyes players hold hands while running out to the field during a NCAA Big Ten Conference football game against Rutgers, Saturday, Sept. 7, 2019, at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa. Joseph Cress/Iowa City Press-Citizen

Iowa junior receiver Ihmir Smith-Marsette pulls down a reception for a first down in the second quarter against Rutgers on Saturday, Sept. 7, 2019 at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City. Bryon Houlgrave, The Register

Iowa running back Tyler Goodson (15) adjusts his helmet after taking a tumble into the sideline during a NCAA Big Ten Conference football game against Rutgers, Saturday, Sept. 7, 2019, at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa. Joseph Cress/Iowa City Press-Citizen

Members of the Iowa Hawkeyes marching band perform during a NCAA Big Ten Conference football game against Rutgers, Saturday, Sept. 7, 2019, at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa. Joseph Cress/Iowa City Press-Citizen

Herky the Hawk gets in the student section during a NCAA Big Ten Conference football game against Rutgers, Saturday, Sept. 7, 2019, at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa. Joseph Cress/Iowa City Press-Citizen

Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz watches action on the field during a NCAA Big Ten Conference football game against Rutgers, Saturday, Sept. 7, 2019, at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa. Joseph Cress/Iowa City Press-Citizen

People in the Stead Family Children's hospital wave to fans in the stadium after the first quarter during a NCAA Big Ten Conference football game against Rutgers, Saturday, Sept. 7, 2019, at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa. Joseph Cress/Iowa City Press-Citizen

People in the Stead Family Children's hospital wave to fans in the stadium after the first quarter during a NCAA Big Ten Conference football game against Rutgers, Saturday, Sept. 7, 2019, at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa. Joseph Cress/Iowa City Press-Citizen

Iowa fans in the north end zone attempt to cool off during a NCAA Big Ten Conference football game against Rutgers, Saturday, Sept. 7, 2019, at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa. Joseph Cress/Iowa City Press-Citizen

Iowa defensive lineman John Waggoner (92) attempts to get past a block during a NCAA Big Ten Conference football game against Rutgers, Saturday, Sept. 7, 2019, at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa. Joseph Cress/Iowa City Press-Citizen

Iowa junior receiver Ihmir Smith-Marsette enters the end zone for a touchdown in the third quarter against Rutgers on Saturday, Sept. 7, 2019 at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City. Bryon Houlgrave, The Register

Iowa freshman receiver Nico Ragaini is brought down after making a reception in the second quarter against Rutgers on Saturday, Sept. 7, 2019 at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City. Bryon Houlgrave, The Register

Iowa sophomore wide receiver Oliver Martin carries the ball after making a completion in the fourth quarter against Rutgers on Saturday, Sept. 7, 2019 at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City. Bryon Houlgrave, The Register

Iowa senior quarterback Nate Stanley approaches the huddle before calling a play in the second quarter against Rutgers on Saturday, Sept. 7, 2019 at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City. Bryon Houlgrave, The Register

Iowa senior quarterback Nate Stanley fakes a handoff to running back Mekhi Sargent in the second quarter against Rutgers on Saturday, Sept. 7, 2019 at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City. Bryon Houlgrave, The Register

Iowa running back Toren Young (28) celebrates with Iowa tight end Shaun Beyer (42) after scoring a first down during a NCAA Big Ten Conference football game against Rutgers, Saturday, Sept. 7, 2019, at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa. Joseph Cress/Iowa City Press-Citizen

Iowa students wave to patients in the Stead Family Children's Hospital during a NCAA Big Ten Conference football game against Rutgers, Saturday, Sept. 7, 2019, at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa. Joseph Cress/Iowa City Press-Citizen

Iowa junior receiver Ihmir Smith-Marsette pulls down a reception for a first down in the second quarter against Rutgers on Saturday, Sept. 7, 2019 at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City. Bryon Houlgrave, The Register

Iowa junior defensive end A.J. Epenesa forces Rutgers quarterback McClane Carter to get rid of the ball in the second quarter on Saturday, Sept. 7, 2019 at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City. Bryon Houlgrave, The Register

Iowa junior wide receiver er Ihmir Smith-Marsette pulls down a reception for a touchdown against Rutgers in the first quarter on Saturday, Sept. 7, 2019 at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City. Bryon Houlgrave, The Register

Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz reaches out to touch the helmet of the Nile Kinnick statue before a NCAA Big Ten Conference football game against Rutgers, Saturday, Sept. 7, 2019, at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa. Joseph Cress/Iowa City Press-Citizen

Iowa Hawkeyes flags wave next to a statue of Nile Kinnick before a NCAA Big Ten Conference football game against Rutgers, Saturday, Sept. 7, 2019, at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa. Joseph Cress/Iowa City Press-Citizen

A plane pulls an "Elite Sportsbook" banner behind it before a NCAA Big Ten Conference football game against Rutgers, Saturday, Sept. 7, 2019, at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa. Joseph Cress/Iowa City Press-Citizen

Even when Rutgers went four-wide with no tight ends, Iowa stuck with its 4-3 base defense.

With Kaevon Merriweather (foot) out for the game and Iowa’s secondary getting increasingly thinner, the comfort in trotting out a trio of experienced linebackers in Kristian Welch (middle), Djimon Colbert (weak-side) and Nick Niemann (outside) makes sense.

And for the second straight week, the 4-3 accomplished its primary objective: Stopping the run. And there wasn’t any of the 4-2-5, even though Ferentz advertised this week we would see it.

Miami (Ohio) didn’t have a run longer than nine yards last week; Rutgers’ longest tote Saturday was 10, and that’s saying something considering the playmaking ability of Isaih Pacheco (10 carries, 42 yards) and Raheem Blackshear (six carries, 30 yards). That allows the Iowa defense to get into a lot of advantageous third-down pass-rushing situations.

“It’s what they want us to do," said Colbert, who collected his first career interception as part of a three-turnover day for the defense. "It’s worked for us these first couple of weeks. Nick’s done a great job out there at the Leo position.”

But the powerful tackle was noticeably limping in the first quarter with what appeared to be a left leg injury. Wirfs (6-foot-5, 322 pounds) didn’t miss any action due to the injury and remained his usual, dominant self … but was often shaking and stretching the leg during breaks in the action.

After the game, Wirfs addressed the injury in only vague terms.

"I’m feeling pretty good," he said. "Just got rolled up on a little bit. I’ll be just fine."

Ferentz likes to say that nobody’s 100% once a season begins, so playing through dings is nothing unexpected. But there are a handful of players Iowa can’t afford to lose, and Wirfs — a projected top-10 NFL Draft pick — is one of them.

Iowa might've set an unofficial record for offensive-line juggling within a single game.

Even mid-series, the Hawkeyes were shuttling in substitutions at times. It was an organized fire drill as Iowa muddles through without Jackson. And for the second straight week, it looked pretty good.

The starting five of Wirfs, Landan Paulsen, Tyler Linderbaum, Kyler Schott and Levi Paulsen got regular assistance from Mark Kallenberger (at left tackle) and Cody Ince (at left guard). When Kallenberger came in, Wirfs would flip to the right side. Landan played both left and right guard. Iowa totaled 194 rushing yards, with 129 coming after halftime.

"That’s a credit to how close we are. ... We don’t have cliques in our own room. We are all pretty close," Wirfs said. "We all trust each other. Going out, it doesn’t matter who’s next to you. You trust him to do his job, he trusts you to do yours. That plays a big role.”

It was nice to see Ivory Kelly-Martin with a spring in his step.

Kelly-Martin, last year's No. 1 running back entering the season, still doesn't have a carry in 2019 as Iowa is rolling with Mekhi Sargent (13 carries, 59 yards) and Toren Young (nine carries, 59 yards) as a 1-2 backfield punch. He's even fallen to fourth in the pecking order with Tyler Goodson (10 carries, 53 yards) seeing a decent workload for the second straight week.

But when Iowa needed a big play, Kelly-Martin delivered. With the score 7-0 in the second quarter, Kelly-Martin collected a soft screen pass and gained 25 yards on a play that set up Iowa's second touchdown. Ferentz made sure to praise Kelly-Martin for the "spark play" in his opening remarks after the game.

LeVar Woods needs to go back to the drawing board on punt returns.

The Hawkeyes struggled two years ago just to field punts, let alone return them. They got a lot better with Kyle Groeneweg, a fifth-year senior, in 2018. But freshman Nico Ragaini doesn’t yet have the knack for the position.

Ragaini lost 5 yards on his first return, and that was after catching it at his own 8. He later made a fair catch at his own 5, a curious decision. And then to start the third quarter, he couldn’t cut off a bouncing punt by Rutgers’ Adam Korsak that would result in a 69-yard net that pinned Iowa at its own 1-yard line.

Korsak was amazing; give him credit. But Iowa started a staggering five drives inside its own 10 and a sixth at its 11.

Ihmir Smith-Marsette, the day’s most game-breaking player, was listed as the No. 1 punt returner entering the season but Ragaini ended up being the guy in Week 1. It might be time for Woods, Iowa's special-teams coordinator, to put Smith-Marsette back to the No. 1 spot.

On the positive side of special teams, it looks like Iowa has upgraded its punting game.

Michael Sleep-Dalton’s Week 1 grade was “incomplete” after getting just one opportunity against Miami (Ohio). But twice punting from his own end zone, Sleep-Dalton cranked out booming, high punts of 52 and 54 yards. That was not in the arsenal in either of the past two years.

Sleep-Dalton, the graduate transfer from Arizona State, also delivered a nice pooch punt from Iowa’s 45 that landed at the Rutgers 5 and backed up. That’s not luck. I watched Sleep-Dalton during the Kids Day open practice repeatedly drop punts inside the opposing 10 like a 9-iron into a putting green.

Sleep-Dalton finished the day averaging six punts for a 48.3-yard average. It’s OK to feel at peace about Iowa’s punting for the first time since Ron Coluzzi in 2016.

Hawkeyes columnist Chad Leistikow has covered sports for 24 years with The Des Moines Register, USA TODAY and Iowa City Press-Citizen. Follow @ChadLeistikow on Twitter.